Life saving buoyancy system

ABSTRACT

A LIFE SAVING BUOYANCE SYSTEM IN WHICH A BUOYANT MASS LOCATED IN THE REGION OF THE CHEST OF THE WEARER AND SEPARATE AND DISCRETE BUOYANT MASSES IN THE WRIST OR FOREARM REGIONS OF THE WEARER ARE SECURED TO THE WEARER&#39;&#39;S BODY SO AS TO ORIENT THE BODY OF A FLOATING WEARER FROM A FACE DOWN, &#34;DEAD DOG&#34; POSITION TO A FACE UP, HEAD OUT OF THE WATER POSITION AND TO SUPPORT HIM IN THAT POSITION. IF DESIRED, A BUOYANT MASS MAY BE POSITIONED BEHIND THE WEARER&#39;&#39;S HEAD TO ENSURE THAT HIS HEAD IS OUT OF THE WATER WHEN IN THE FACE UP POSITION.

March 15, 1971 E. a. BAKER 3,570,030 LIFE sAvxNG BUOYANGY sysnvn FiledFeb. D. 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Edgar G. Baker BWJWM ATTORNEYS E.G. BAKER LIFE SAVING BUOYANCY SYSTEM March 16, 1 971 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Feb.V s, 1969 INVENTOR Edgar G. Baker ATTORNEYS Mmdn 1971 E, G,BAK-ER LIFE sAvING BUoYANcY SYSTEM v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fild Feb. 3, 1969|NvEN-ron Baker ATTORNEY 3 3,570,030 LIFE SAVING BUOYANCY SYSTEM EdgarG. Baker, Carbondale, Pa., assigner to Gentex Corporation, New York,N.Y. Filed Feb. 3, 1969, Ser. No. 795,839 Int. Cl. B63c 9/10 U.S. Cl.9-338 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A life saving buoyancy systemin which a buoyant mass located in the region of the chest of the wearerand separate and discrete buoyant masses in the wrist or forearm regionsof the wearer are secured to the wearers body so as to orient the bodyof a floating wearer from a face down, dead dog position to a face up,head out of the water position and to support him in that position. Ifdesired, a buoyant mass may be positioned behind the wearers head toensure that his head is out of the water when in the face up position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different types and styles of buoyantlife preservers, vests, jackets, belts and the like, are known in theprior art.

Historically, the design of a buoyant life jacket or preserver hasinvolved the solution of a number of problems. Most of the solutions,however, raised new problems or had objectionable side effects.

The first problem which arose in connection with the design of lifepreservers other than merely floating the wearers body was that ofensuring that a person floating face down in the water was turned to aface up position suciently rapidly `to prevent him, even thoughunconscious, from inhaling water. One` of the .proposed solutions tothis problem was the manufacture of a buoyant jacket or vest, thematerial of which provided a differential -buoyancy in the region of thechest of the wearer so as to create a turning moment tending to rotatethe wearers body to a face up position. One of the problems incident tothis solution to the problem of turning the wearer face up was that therapidity with which the turning action took place depended in somedegree on the bulk of material which was used and the disposition of thebuoyant material. That is, many designs were objectionally bulky and thelocation of the buoyant material for creating the turning moment wassuch that it interfered with movement of the body and so forth.

Not only did the requirements for producing the turning moment notedabove create objectionable bulk in certain regions of the wearers bodybut, also, the opinions of safety experts who set standards for lifejacket design have been such that the minimum buoyancy for protection isrelatively large resulting in excessive bulk.

In testing buoyant jackets in the prior art, generally the jacket istested in three standard positions of the body to determine whether ornot the action of the jacket in turning the body to a face up positionis sufficiently rapid. These three standard test positions are the deadman position, a spread eagle position and an in line position. In thedead man position the victim is lying prone in the water face down withhis arms and legs extending in opposite directions; that is, with hisarms overhead and the feet extending generally in the opposite UnitedStates Patent O direction. In the spread eagle position, both arms andlegs of the wearer are separated by an angle of approximately degrees.In the in line position the victim is prone with his arms at his sidesand with his legs parallel to each other.

Many of the buoyant jackets and life preservers presently in useeffectively overcome the problem of turning the wearer face up from anyof the three standard test positions outlined above. While accomplishingthis result they may be excessively bulky and, in addition, may be socumbersome and clumsy as to interfere with normal movements.

In many instances the body of a person falling into the water assumes aposition which is different from any of the three standard testpositions described above. Particularly a victim falling into the watermay surface face down with his arms and his legs submerged and extendinggenerally downwardly from the body. This apparently results from thefact that on impact, the arms, legs and body of the wearer submerge atnearly the same rate. However, when the wearer surfaces, the trunk ofthe body precedes the appendages because of the greater buoyancy of thetrunk and the lesser buoyancy of the appendages. The resulting positionis known as the dead dog position. While many of the buoyant jackets andvests known in the art operate satisfactorily to turn the wearer face upfrom any of the three standard test positions, they do not successfullysolve the problem of floating the wearer face up from the dead dogposition. Attempts to modify the standard designs in an effort toobviate this problem have not proved satisfactory. The turning momentrequired to rotate the victim from the dead dog position to a face upposition necessitates such a bulk of material and such a high degree ofeccentricity of the material as not only to be objectionable but as tobe entirely impracticable.

I have invented a life saving buoyancy system which overcomes theproblems of buoyant jackets and vests of the prior art. My systemreadily rotates a victim from the dead dog position without requiringexcessive bulk or excessive eccentricity of buoyant material in thechest region of the wearer. My buoyancy system increases the rate ofturning of the wearer from any face down position over that provided byIbuoyant jackets of the prior art. My buoyant system does not require asgreat a total buoyancy as does a jacket of the prior art. My buoyancysystem permits the wearer a greater degree of freedom of movement thando jackets and the like of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of my invention is to provide abuoyancy system which overcomes the defects of buoyant vests and jacketsof the prior art.

Another object of my invention is to provide a life preserving buoyancysystem which quickly turns a victim from the dead dog position Ito aface up, head out of the water position.

A further Iobject of my invention is to provide a life preservingbuoyancy system which turns a victim from any face down position to aface up position more rapidly than do buoyant jackets and the like ofthe prior art.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a life preservingbuoyancy system which requires less total buoyancy than do buoyantjackets and the like of the prior art.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a life preservingbuoyancy system in which a buoyant mass supported in the region of thechest of the wearer cooperates with separate and discrete buoyant massesin the wrist or forearm regions of the wearers body to produce a turningaction which quickly turns the wearers body from any face down floatingposition, including the dead dog position, to a face up, head out of thewater position. I may provide a buoyant mass disposed generally behindthe head of the wearer t ensure that his head is kept out of the water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings whichform part of the instant specification and which are to be read inconjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used toindicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of my life saving buoyancy system inposition on the body of a wearer.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of my life saving buoyancy system in positionon the body of a wearer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the initial position of a oatingwearer of my life saving buoyancy system in a dead dog position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the action of my life savingbuoyancy system in beginning to move the wearer from the dead dogposition of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the face up head out of thewater position to which a wearer of my life saving buoyancy system ismoved from the dead dog position.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrationg one form of the wrist portionof my life saving buoyancy system.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an alternate form of the Wrist portion ofmy life saving buoyancy system.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of an alternate form of my life savingbuoyancy system.

lDESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED `EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. l and2 of the drawings, my life saving buoyancy system is adapted to bedonned by a wearer 10. The system includes a life jacket or vestportion, indicated generally by the reference character 12, which may beof any suitable type known to the art. One form of jacket which maycomprise part of my system includes respective front right-hand andleft-hand buoyant masses 14 and 16 which can be formed of any suitablematerial such, for example, as unicellular foamed polyvinyl chloride.Respective right-hand and left-hand fabric pockets or envelopes 18 and20 may receive the buoyant members 14 and 16. 'Fabric shoulder portions22 and 24 connect the front envelopes to a rear envelope or pouch 26which receives a rear buoyant member 28 which may be made of the samematerial as are the members 14 and 16. A back extension 30 of the fabricenvelope is formed with respective tunnels 32 and 34 which receiverespective straps or belts 36 and 38 adapted to secure the jacket orvest to the wearers body. These belts 36 and 38 extend around to thefront of the wearers body and are secured together generally in thechest area and in the waist area of the wearer by respective fasteners,such as buckles 40 and 42 or the like. As is known in the art, portionsof the respective belts 36 and 38 may be looped around the buoyantbodies 14 and 16.

While I have described a particular form of vest or jacket 12 ascomprising a part of my life saving buoyant assembly, it is to beunderstood that any suitable type of vest or jacket or the like can beused. In general, it is required principally that the vest have buoyantmaterial in the region of the chest of the wearer and that, preferably,some buoyant material be disposed behind the wearers head so as to holdhis head out of the water when he is in a face up position.

In addition to the buoyant vest 12, my life saving buoyancy systemincludes respective masses 44 and 46 of buoyant material positioned onthe wrists of the wearers. Preferably, in order that the wrist orforearm masses 44 and 46 are not lost, they may be secured to therespective envelopes 18 and 20 by cords 48 and 50 or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 3, I have shown the wearer 10 floating in water52, for example, in the dead dog position with his face down and withhis extremities extending generally downwardly in the water. As has beenexplained hereinabove, this position is a natural one for a person toassume upon rising to the surface after having plunged into the water,owing to the fact that the body torso is more buoyant than are the armsand legs. The position illustrated in FIG. 3 is the initial positionbefore the turning action of my life saving buoyancy system takes place.

Referring to FIG. 4, I have illustrated the position of the wearer 10about two to two and one half seconds after he assumes the positionshown in FIG. 3 under the turning action of my floatation system. Forcesexerted by the buoyant masses 44 and 46 tend to move the body from theposition shown in FIG. 3 toward the vertical position such as isillustrated in FIG. 4. It might be thought that with a buoyant mass oneach of the wearers wrists, the action of one would counteract theaction of the other. I have discovered, however, that this does not takeplace. It appears that with a mass on only one of the wearers wrists orforearms, a tendency results to rotate the body about its longitudinalaxis. If, however, masses are placed on both the wearers arms, his bodyis forced more in an upward and backward direction. To explain morefully, I observe that with the body of a person in the dead dog positionin the water, his arms and legs have the same stabilizing effect on thetorso as does the keel of a boat. My masses of buoyant material upsetthis stabilizing effect by raising the arms to the surface of the water.It produced this effect on a person wearing a buoyant jacket of the typewhich would not turn a person from a dead dog position. In addition, therate at which the person was turned to a face up position from otherpositions was increased as much as 40%. Once the person has been turnedto the face up position, he will remain in that position owing to theaction of the buoyant mass in the chest area.

After the wearers body has moved from the position shown in FIG. 3 tothe position shown in FIG. 4, under the inuence of my buoyancy system ina very short time of about two seconds, his body rotates to thegenerally face up position illustrated in FIG. 5. This movement of thebody is in part produced by the material of the chest buoyant members 14and 16.

I have discovered that by use of the buoyant masses 44 and 46 incombination with the jacket 12, the time for turning the wearers bodyfrom a face down to a face up position is appreciably reduced, beingabout five seconds or less as contrasted with around ten seconds forwhat are considered to be excellent jackets of the prior art. This is inaddition to the fact that my buoyancy system will move the wearers bodyfrom a face down, dead dog position whereas jackets of the prior arthave been unsuccessful in achieving this result.

In addition to the enhanced turning action afforded by my buoyancysystem, I have discovered that I can make :my system with an overallbuoyancy which is appreciably less than that of a jacket of the priorart and yet I am able to accomplish the superior turning resultsoutlined above. By way of example, I may use a jecket having a buoyancyof only about fourteen pounds in combination with two wrist or forearmmasses, each having a buoyancy of from about one-half to one pound andaccomplish superior results over a standard jacket of the prior arthaving thirty-five pounds buoyancy. It will readily be understood thatthe greatly decreased buoyancy required for the jacket enables me tomake a jacket which is much less bulky and cumbersome than are jacketsof the prior art. Thus, my buoyant assembly affords the wearer moremobility than do jackets of the prior art. It also affords betterstability in the water.

The masses `44 and 48 are worn generally in the wrist or forearm of thewearer. I have discovered that the outstanding results outlinedhereinabove can be achieved by placing the buoyant mass on the arm fromthe wrist to about two-thirds of the way to the elbow.

The particular design of the masses 44 and 46 is not critical. By way ofillustration in FIGS. and 6, I have shown two forms of wrist masseswhich are satisfactory. The mass shown in FIG. 6 and indicated gneerallyby the reference character 54 includes a body 56 of any suitable buoyantmaterial such, for example, as expanded unicellular polyvinyl chloride.The body 56 tapers from a relatively wide end 58 intermediate the wristand the elbow of the wearers forearm 160 to a relatively narrower end-62 adjacent the wearers wrist. Respective interior bosses 64 and i66adjacent the ends 58 and 62 engage the wearers arm and provide a space68 therebetween into which ventilating air is admitted through holes 70in the body. Bosses 64 and 66 prevent the mass 54 from riding too far upthe wearers arm and from slipping out over the wearers hand.

In the form of mass indicated generally by the reference character 72shown in FIG. 7, the body 74 is formed of any suitable material, such asunicellular expanded polyvinyl chloride. This body has an irregularlongitudinal cross-sectional shape and isV generally tapered so as toprevent excessive movement upwardly on the wearers arm and to preventslippage over the wearers hand while at the same time affording a degreeof ventilation. In general, the requirement for the wrist masses is thatits shape be such that movement thereof in one direction or in the othernot be excessive while at the same time it should be as comfortable asis consistent with the functional requirements thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it may be desirable to incorporate my lifepreserving buoyant system in a unitary garment, indicated generally bythe reference character 76, comprising a fabric envelope 78 carryingfront buoyant masses 80 and 82 and a rear buoyant mass (not shown), aswell as straps 84 and 86 for securing the garment to the wearers body.In this form of my system the garment may include sleeves 88 and 90which carry the buoyant masses 44 and 46. These masses may be attachedto the sleeves 88 and 90 in any suitable manner. For example, they mayactually be enclosed in and become a part of the sleeves.

In operation of my life preserving buoyancy system, a wearer fallinginto the water and rising face up will be supported in the water in thatmanner with his head out of the water. It will be noted that the rearbuoyant mass 28 and its equivalent in other forms of jackets and vestsassists in achieving the end of holding the head of the wearer out ofthe water.

Should the wearer fall into the water and surface with his face down inany of the standard test positions, my buoyant system will move him tothe face up position illustrated in FIG. 5 in appreciably less time thanwill any of the jackets or vests of the prior art.

Should the wearer surface in the dead dog position illustrated in FIG.3, the wrist masses 44 and 46 first produce a force tending to move'thewearers body to the generally vertical position illustrated in FIG. 4.Shortly following that action, the wearers body is rapidly turned to theface up position illustrated in FIG. 5.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. Ihave provided a life saving buoyancy system which overcomes thedifficulties involved in systems of the prior art. My system morerapidly turns a floating person from a face down to a face up positionthan do buoyant jackets of the prior art. My buoyancy system rapidlyturns a wearer from the dead dog position to a face up head out of thewater position. My life preserving buoyancy system permits of theconstruction of a system having less buoyancy than is required insystems of the prior art. My system is less cumbersome and bulky thanare buoyant vests and jackets of the type known in the prior art.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made indetails within the scope of my claims without departing from the spiritof my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention isnot to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A life preserving buoyancy system for constraining the body of awearer floating in a buoyant medium to a face up position including incombination, a first buoyant mass, means positioning said first buoyantmass in the region of the wearers chest, and a second ringlike buoyantmass supported on the wearers body at one of the forearm regionsthereof, said second buoyant mass having an internal dimension whichpermits said mass to be slipped over the wearers hand and onto saidforearm and normally to be retained thereon by a portion of said secondmass.

2. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 1 including meansconnecting said second buoyant mass to said first buoyant mass.

3. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 1 in which'said firstbuoyant mass is eccentrically buoyant across the wearers chest.

4. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 1 in which said firstbuoyant mass is formed in two distinct parts, said parts beingdifferentially buoyant.

5. A life preserving assembly as in claim 1 in which said second buoyantmass is carried by one of the wearers arms, said assembly including athird buoyant mass supported on the other arm of the wearer at theforearm region thereof.

6. A life preserving assembly as in claim 1 in which said second buoyantmass is a ring of unicellular expanded polyvinyl chloride.

7. A life preserving assembly as in claim 1 in which said second buoyantmass is tapered in a direction from the elbow toward the wrist.

8. A life preserving assembly as in claim 7 including internal annularbosses adjacent the open ends.

9. A life preserving assembly as in claim 7 including air vents in saidbody.

10. A life preserving assembly as in claim 7 in which said secondbuoyant mass has an undulating internal surface.

y11. A life preserving buoyancy system for constraining the body of awearer floating in a buoyant medium to a face up position including incombination, a first buoyant mass, means positioning said first buoyantmass in the region of the wearers chest and a pair of ringlike axiallytapered bodies of resilient buoyant material having open ends supportedon the forearms of the wearers body, the internal dimensions of saidbodies being such as to permit said bodies to be slipped over thewearers hands and normally to be retained on the forearms.

12. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 11 in which said firstbuoyant mass is eccentrically buoyant across the wearers chest.

13. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 11 including meansconnecting said tapered bodies to said first buoyant mass.

14. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 111 in which saidfirst buoyant mass comprises part of a garment having sleeves, saidsleeves connecting said tapered bodies to said first buoyant mass.

15. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 11 References Citedincluding internal annular bosses on each of said tapered UNITED STATESPATENTS bodies adjacent said open ends.

i16. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim -15 1,611427 12/1926Evans 9-344 including vent holes in said tapered bodies. 1888283 11/1932Moore 9-338(X) 17. A life preserving buoyancy system as in claim 15 5310761206 2/1963 Shfw et al- 9--341 (X) in which said tapered bodieshave undulating inner sur- 3405'414 10/1968 Ffledef, Jf- 9-338 faces'MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner 18. A system as in claim 1 including afourth buoyant mass and means positioning said fourth buoyant mass 1 I.E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner at the upper part of the back of thewearer. 0

